Weft-replenishing mechanism



Spt. 1, 1925.

' J. R. COPLAND WEFT REPLENISHING MECHANISM Filed Aug. 25, 1922 Patented Sept. 1, 1925.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES R. CORLANDQOT` DANvILLn .viRGrNIA ASSIGNOR To CROMPTON &`KNOWL1'1S LOOM WORKS, OF WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF MASSA- CHU'SETTS.

WEFT-REPLENISHING MECHANISM.

i 4Application filed August 25, 1922. Serial No. 584,329.

T 0 all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, JAMns'R.vv COPLAND, a citizen of the United States, residing at `Danville, in the county of Pittsylvaniaand State of Virginia, have invented a newand useful Teft-Re'plenishing Mechanism, of whichpthe following is a specification.

This invention relates to mechanism for replenishing the weft or filling inan automatic loom. In Such looms, when using two Or more kinds of colors of weft or filling, it is customary to indicate aiilling change whenever a shuttle is substantial-ly exhausted. Upon.such indication, a weft carrier of the desired kind will be advanced,k to transfer position, from which position the weft carrier will normally be promptly transferredto the exhausted Shuttle. n

Failure `of transfer from any cause, such as failure of a shuttle to boxY properly,

shouldv be followed by vprompt removal ory release of the indicated weft carrier from transfer' position, so that another weftkcar-` rier corresponding to the active shuttle may fer is indicated. Y

Weft carrier releasing devices' for such purposes have been heretofore used anda patent to Lauzon, No. 1,261,563, issued April`2, 1918, shows aweft carrier release Vwhich is normally@'inoperative between transfers and which is moved to operative position only upon indication oftransfer.

It is the objectof my invention to imbe advanced to transfer position yif a transprove the construction of the weft carrierreleasing device therein shown, giving it a freer swinging movementv about an axis substantially removed from its point of contact with the weft carrier and permitting it to move in a direction better fitted to avoid damage if a weft carrier becomes misplaced inthe shuttle during transfer thereto.

IVith this general object in view, my invention is shown specifically in certain a1'- rangements and combinations which will be hereinafter described and more particularly pointed out in the ap-` pended claims. A preferred formV of shown in the drawings in which Fig. 1 is a left hand side elevation of a weft carrier magazine embodying my improvements;

Fig. 2 is a ,partialre'ar'l elevation thereof;

of partsV my invention isV drop-box type employing a corresponding Ynumber Of Shuttles. Then weft exhaustion of a certain shuttle is indicated, a`weft carrier IV of the corresponding kind or color is released and descends to the Vposition shown 1n F 1g. 1, where 1t engagesl a guide or ledge 11 on the front Side and my imy proved weft carrier releasing lever 12 on the rear side.` y

The lever 12 is provided with a head 13 pivota'llyV mounted on a Stud 14 fixed in a supporting arm'15. The' arm 15 is ang'ularly adjustable upon a cross rod 1G fixed to the frame 10 and forming a permanent part of the magazine structure. A spring l''iscoiled around the rod 16, one end thereofA being secured in the arm 15 and the depending free end 18 thereof engaging the lever 12 and pressing 1t yieldingly `forward to the positionshown in Fig. 1. f A stop screw 12a ad]ustably limits such forward movement. The release lever 12 mayV be adjusted vertically by swinging the arm 15 on the cross rod 16.

In order, to withdraw the lever 12 yto re- ,leasel a weft carrier, I provide a plunger 20 having'its upper end pivoted to a lever 21 mounted yon aV rock shaft 22. The Opposite end of the lever 21 is connected by a link 23 to a shuttle feeler 24. These parts are arranged to be moved by mechanism (not shown) which advances a weft carrier to transfer position. The release lever 12 is curvedI at its lower end and extends forward to the point at which the weft carriers are held pending transfer. This curved shape of the lever 12 is clearly shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1.` The plunger 20.V has an ofset'or angularly disposed lower end portion as clearly shown in Fig. 3 which engages the curved lower portion of the release lever-,12.

In the normal position of the parts, the shuttle feeler 24 is raised and the plungerl 2O is depressed. lVhen thus depressed, the offset lower end of the plunger has a cam action with the curved lower portion of the lever 12, forcing the same rearwardly and releasing any weft carrier which may have been held in transfer position. Upon indication of transfer, the shuttle feeler 24 is depressed and the plunger 2O is raised, releasing` the lever 12 and permitting it to swing yieldingly forward to engage and support the weft carrier which is presented for transfer. After transfer, the parts return to their first or normal position and the weft carrier is released if for any reason the transfer has not been completed.

The lever 12 is preferably provided with a ledge 2-5 along one or both edges to engage the wire rings on the weft carrier head and thus assist in guiding the weft carrier during transfer.

The operative connections for the rock shaft 22 are not shown herein and form no part of my invention, but for a full disclosure and description thereof reference is made to the prior patents to Ryon, No. 972,722, issued October 11, 1910, and No. 1,022,108, issued April 2, 1912.

ItV will be noted that the stud 14 which forms a pivot for the release lever 12 is mounted in the upper portion of the magazine and at a point relatively remote from the point of contact of the release lever with the weft carrier. The pivot is also located a relatively short distance to the rear of the point of contact so that the movement of the lower end of the lever is in an are which is nearly horizontal, instead of in an arc which is substantially vertical, as in the prior patent to Lauzon. This permits a much smoother and easier release movement of the lever and also permits the lever to swing easily backward when engaged by a misplaced weft carrier caught in the shuttle.

The lever 12 is preferably made of mild steel, which permits the shape of the lever to be changed somewhat to suit varying conditions. This is in addition to adjustment by the screw 12a.

Having thus described my invention and the advantages thereof, it will be evident that. changes and modifications can be made therein by those skilled in the art within the spirit and scope of my invention as set forth in the claims, and I do not wish to be otherwiseV limited to the details herein disclosed, but. what I claim is 1. In a loom, a stationary weft carrier magazine having a plurality of vertical compartments, a weft carrier release lever formed as a single unit and mounted to swing abo'ut a pivot in the upper part of said magazine remote from its point of contact. with the weft carrier, means to advance said lever yieldingly to operative position, and means to withdraw and hold said lever in normal inoperative position between indications of transfer, said lever having swinging movements of different extent about a single center to release a weft carrier and also to clear a misplaced weft carrier.

2. In a loom, a stationary weft carrier magazine having a plurality of vertical compartments, a weft carrier release lever formed as a single unit and mounted to swing about a pivot in the upper part of said magazine remote from its point of contact. with the weft carrier, an arm on which said lever is pivoted, a cross rod fixed in said magazine on which said arm vis mounted for angular adjustment toV raise and lower said lever, and means to secure said arm rin a selected angular position.

1:5. In a loorn, a stationary weft carrier magazine having a plurality of vertical compartments, a weft carrier release lever formed as a single unit and mounted to swing abo'ut a pivot in the upper part of said magazine remote from its point of contact with the weft carrier, and means to withdraw said lever from `operative position, said lever having a curved lower portion and said means including. a plunger engaging said curved lower portion and having a cam actiontherewith to withdraw said lever.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto affixed my signature.

JAMES R. COPLAND. 

